Posts by Kent Boese — Guest Contributor
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Lost Washington: Shepherd’s Row
The three second empire homes that once bordered the north side of Farragut Square were designed by Adolph Cluss and erected in 1873. Along with Logan Circle, Dupont Circle, and 16th Street, this section of K Street was among the most prestigious residential areas in the city during the last part of the 19th century. Shepherd’s Row takes its name from District of Columbia… Keep reading…
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Then and Now: Monroe School auditorium
The auditorium of the old Monroe School ca. 1950 (left) and today (right). The Monroe School was built ca. 1899 and located west of, and on the same property as, the current Bruce-Monroe School. Reflecting Washington’s segregated history, the Monroe School was built as a White school. It was changed to a Black school in the mid-1940s and ultimately was desegregated with… Keep reading…
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Lost Washington: The Hotel Grafton
The Hotel Grafton was originally built in 1894 for Herbert, Fleming & Dulaney, and was located at 1139 Connecticut Avenue, NW (northeast corner of Connecticut and Desales). In 1909, it underwent extensive improvements and additions estimated to cost in the neighborhood of $200,000. The new section added in the 1909 construction faced Desales street with a frontage… Keep reading…
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Then and Now: Engine Company No. 15
Engine Company 15, located at 14th and V Streets, SE, opened on April 15, 1898. This firehouse was in continuous use until it was razed in 1966. After being temporarily housed at Engine 32 for nearly two years, it was able to move into a new firehouse on the same site. The new firehouse was dedicated on January 6, 1969. The new Engine 15 was the first D.C. Fire Dept. unit to make its… Keep reading…
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This date in history: First airplane crash
During the flight trials at Ft. Myer on September 12, 1908, tragedy struck. At a height of 75 feet, on a turn, one of the new nine foot propeller blades broke. The machine pitched to the ground resulting in the death of Lieutenant Selfridge and the painful injury of Orville Wright. The collapsed Wright airplane was photographed just after it struck the ground. This was the first… Keep reading…
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